California State University Los Angeles (Cal State LA), a minority institution offering the M.S. as its highest degree, and with a long tradition of success in developing the careers of minority Americans in the biomedical sciences, proposes to establish a Biomedical Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (BIOMED PREP). The proposed program seeks to keep in the biomedical human capital pipeline, the talents of capable individuals whose abilities might otherwise be lost to biomedical research. The result is that the participants in this program will eventually enter graduate programs leading to the Ph.D. at major research institutions. The University has long been used by students to improve their academic standing and career prospects in a period after they earn the baccalaureate degree, and before they begin graduate education (M.S./M.A. or Ph.D.). This proposed project would increase minority participation in biomedical research careers by training each year a group of six students employed as technicians by the University while undergoing career advancement through a post-baccalaureate program designed to increase their research skills; enhance their academic background in the biomedical sciences; integrate them into the broader Southern California biomedical research community; expose them to a broad range of biomedical sciences and scientists; enhance their entry directly into Ph.D. programs, or to M.S. programs en route to the Ph.D.; and establish the foundation for their successful research careers in the biomedical sciences.